Coffee Ice Cream

I have something to confess (though this may not be so much a confession as just a statement of fact). I am a HUGE fan of sweets.

I love candy, cookies, chocolate, taffy, pies, milkshakes, smoothies … the list goes and on and on and on. Of all the sweets that are out there in the world though, my most favorite is ice cream. I could easily eat ice cream 2 and 3 times a day if there were no health issues to deal with. Alas, that is just not doable. As with all good things, it’s best to have moderation, and with moderation , I can savor the richer, creamier (full fat) ice creams that make real ice cream worth eating.

This easy coffee ice cream was inspired by an ice cream cake I had at a restaurant in Boone, North Carolina many months ago. In order for me to recreate that signature dessert (post forthcoming), it required me to concoct some creamy coffee ice cream. This recipe is super easy with an ice maker (sorry no machine-less variations here, go Google no-churn coffee ice cream recipes if you don’t have a machine). It literally took 3 steps to make, even my toddler could have done it! And the taste? It is smooth and not too rich with just the right amount of sweet. I used *Starbucks VIA® Colombia instant coffee packets which has a medium body and isn’t tart like some darker roasts. It worked really well blended with the full fat cream and whole milk … and the results are delicious.

Here’s how easy it is.

Step 1. Gather all ingredients and mix them in a bowl

Since I’m using instant coffee in this recipe, the prep involves dissolving the instant coffee in a little bit of water before mixing all the ingredients together in a large bowl. I added 3 tablespoons of water and two packets of Starbucks VIA® Colombia instant coffee to a measuring cup, then gave it a nice stir to dissolve the crystals. The powder is pretty fine so it shouldn’t take long to have your coffee concentrate ready.

With your large bowl in front of you, add the sugar, whipping cream, milk, vanilla extract, and coffee concentrate. My tip is to use a bowl with a pouring spout as it makes it much easier to pour into your ice cream maker. The coffee concentrate might cling to whatever vessel you prepared it in, so just use a silicon spatula or spoon to scrape it out and get all that coffee flavoring into your mixture.

Stir your ingredients. I used the same silicon spatula that I used to mix my coffee concentrate and free it from the measuring cup. Your mixture should be a creamy colored tan like the picture below. No need to worry about the sugar not being dissolved. Your ice cream maker will do the work of breaking it down and dissipating it evenly throughout your ice cream.

The coffee mixture all ready for the machine

Step 2. Pour into your Ice Cream maker, then walk away

So yeah, this step is literally the easiest. Pour it in there (with the ice cream maker running) and let your ice cream maker do all the work.

Action shot of the mixture flowing into the machine…..beautiful huh?

Step 3. Return 15 minutes later & Enjoy your Ice Cream!

If you’re anxious, you can hang around and watch your ice cream churn through the various stages below. Much like a watched pot never boils, a watched ice cream maker never freezes. Don’t worry, it will. Give the process about 15 to 20 minutes. When you return, the ice cream will be thick – about the consistency of frozen yogurt. Feel free to let it go longer if you want it stiffer.

Frozen yogurt texture achieved.

At this point, you can enjoy your easy no-fuss coffee-packed ice cream treat! If you want it to harden more, you can transfer it to a freezer friendly container. That’s what I did in the picture below.

When I was ready for my heaping bowl of ice cream, I let the container sit out a few minutes to soften slightly, then used my ice cream scoop to dish it up!

Prepare the instant coffee concentrate by combining the instant coffee and 3 tbsp of water in a mug or mixing cup. Stir to dissolve it thoroughly.

In a larger bowl (if you have one with a spout it will make pouring the mixture into the ice cream maker that much easier) add the milk, sugar, cream, vanilla and coffee concentrate. Stir with a whisk or spoon to combine.

Welcome to WallflowerGal.com. I'm Amanda and I couldn't be happier to share my creativity, fiber flair and food fascinations with you here on my blog! Take a look around, connect with me via social media, and feel free to let me know what you think ! Learn More…

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